Sleep Better Through Yoga

Sleep Better Through Yoga

Over the years, health enthusiasts and fitness experts have endorsed the countless health benefits of yoga. An ancient Indian practice, yoga has been attributed to preventing different diseases such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, arthritis and even mental illnesses. In fact, a recent study which was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reveals how yoga can be beneficial to cancer survivors.

However, latest studies have revealed that yoga may also be used to help reduce insomnia in both pre- and post-menopausal women.

During menopause, twice as many women suffer insomnia which negatively affects their quality of life and decreases their memory and concentration. Before the onset of menopause, it’s not uncommon for some women to show signs of insomnia, depression and even sleep apnea.

Katherine Newton, PhD, a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, claims taking a yoga class for 12 weeks, and practicing the same at home, resulted in reduced insomnia. The MsFLASH (Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health) Network randomized controlled trial showed there is a link between yoga and improved sleep.

The study took a sample of 249 healthy women which was divided into three groups. One group performed yoga; another did moderate aerobic exercise; and a control group which did no exercises. They were also randomly given an omega-3 fatty acid supplement or a placebo.

Researchers noticed exercise only slightly improves sleep, insomnia, and depression, while yoga was associated with better sleep quality and less depression.

Dr. Newton claims, “Many women suffer from insomnia during menopause, and it’s good to know that yoga may help them. Hormone therapy is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for hot flashes and night sweats, and fewer women are opting for hormone therapy these days.”

Similar studies have also been published regarding yoga’s positive effects on improving sleep. One study documents how yoga can help cancer survivors who are suffering from sleep deprivation improve the quality of their sleep.

Another study published in the journal Menopause shows that a couple of weekly yoga sessions can ease sleeping problems and reduce symptoms associated with menopause in post-menopausal women.

To find out if yoga is the best option to help you with your sleeping problems, get in touch with Rebecca Ginder, sleep therapy specialist, at (561) 450-5255.